The present invention relates to a terminal clamp for connecting an electrical cable to a terminal post of a vehicle battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,941, German Patent No. 3811629 and UK Patent Application No. 2287587 each disclose a screw-operated battery terminal clamp comprising a pair of jaws defining between them a passage for receiving a battery terminal post, and screw-operated clamping means for closing the jaws against a resilient restoring force, in use, to grip the post. In each case, the clamping means includes an inclined generally rectilinear cam surface on each jaw and cooperating inclined rectilinear cam surfaces on a component movable relative to the jaws by the screw action, either in a direction to cause the cam surfaces to coact to close the jaws about the terminal post in use, or to release the jaws to open under said resilient restoring force.
A problem encountered with such arrangements is that after being operated to hold the jaws closed, the cam surfaces may bind together so that release of the screw action is ineffective to release the jaws. It is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal post clamp wherein this problem is obviated.